Serbia or the Republic of Serbia is a country in which it is located in between central and southeast Europe in the southern part of Pannonian Plains and the central Balkans. The country borders Hungary in the north with Bulgaria and Romania both flanking the east side while Macedonia on the south and the west are Croatia, Bosnia, Herzegovina and Montenegro. Serbia has a population of 7 million people and its capital in the Belgrade which is also one of the oldest and largest cities in southeastern Europe.

Serbia’s history started in the early Middle Ages and had survived the Byzantine, Frankish as well as the Hungarian rule. The Vatican and Constantinople both had given recognition to this state in 1217, and the country reached the height of its golden era in 1346 as a Serbian Empire. In the mid 16th century, the empire was taken over by the Ottoman Empire and followed by the Habsburg empire in which the territory was then expanded towards central Serbia by the end of 17th century.

Serbia is also one of the members of the United Nations (UN) among many other bodies and organisations and is currently working towards being a member of World Trade Organization (WTO). Serbia is also the only country considered as “free” by Freedom House and currently waiting to join the European Union by 2025. Originally in 2007, Serbia follows the rule of military neutrality. It possesses an upper-middle income economy with a dominant service industry followed by the industrial sector as well as the agricultural sector. The country also ranks high considerably in the Human Development Index (HDI), the Social Progress Index (SPI) as well as the Global Peace Index (GPI).

Serbian climate is heavily influenced by the landmass of Eurasia and the Atlantic as well as the Mediterranean Sea. Average January temperature is around 0 °C (32 °F) while average July temperature of 22 °C (72 °F). The country is considered to have a warm-humid as well as humid subtropical climate. The north part of Serbia is more continental with cold winters and hot; meanwhile, it turned humid summers with a well-distributed pattern of rainfall. In the south part, summers and autumns are drier, and winters are more cold with heavy inland snowfalls in the mountain areas. The southern parts of Serbia possess Mediterranean influences.

The official language of Serbia is the Serbian language in which it is native to almost 88% of the population. It is the only European language which actively uses digraphia; both Cyrillic and Latin alphabets. Serbian Cyrillic is considered in the Constitution as the official script language, while Latin alphabets are given the status of “script in official use” in the Constitution. 47% of Serbian people prefer Latin alphabets while 36% prefer the Cyrillic and the rest of the 17% have no preference in the language used in Serbia.

The Constitution of Serbia also denotes that the people may exercise any form of religion and is subject to free will. However, the country’s 84.5% population practices Orthodox Christianity while 6% are Roman Catholics and the others are Protestants, Greek Catholics as well as Islam which is considered as the third largest religious group in Serbia, prominently in the southern regions of Serbia due to the historical backgrounds of the old country.

Serbia is a country with colourful cuisines for people around the world to enjoy. Mostly having the characteristics of the Balkans, Mediterranean, Turkish and Austrian and Hungarian, the dishes that Serbia has to offer also serves an important role especially during their festive seasons. Their staple food consist of bread, meat, fruits, vegetables as well as dairy products with bread being the basis of all Serbian meals and is also found in most religious rituals. A traditional Serbian way of welcoming their guests is to offer bread and salt. Meat is also a famous ingredient in Serbian dishes as well as fish. The specialities include ćevapčići which are a caseless sausage made from minced meat and to serve them is either to grill and season. Serbian people also claimed that the country is the birthplace of rakia which is an alcoholic drink distilled from fruits. Rakia is found throughout Balkans, precisely in Bulgaria, Croatia, Slovenia, Montenegro, Hungary as well as Turkey. The national drink of Serbia is a plum brandy, which is also a type of rakia, called Slivovitz.

Tourism in Serbia is not considered as the main income for the country. However, the country does have to offer tourists the scenic views of their Balkan mountains as well as the two preferred cities which are Belgrade and Novi Sad. The most famous mountainside resorts are Kopaonik, Stara Planina and Zlatibor as well as spas such as Vrnjacka Banja, Soko Banja and Banja Kovilijaca. The capital city, Belgrade is the centre of communist-era architecture and Kalemegdan Park which is the site of the Belgrade Fortress which went through the eras of the Byzantine, Roman as well as the Ottoman empires. Stari Grad, the oldest city, is home to centuries-old mansions. In the suburbs near the river, Fruska Gora is the national park where it is famous for hiking trails and more than a dozen Orthodox monasteries which dated back as old as the early 1500’s. In the far side of the north of Serbia is the Kopaonik mountain range which is famous for their ski resorts and national park. Zlatibor in the western side of Serbia is also one other popular ski attraction place that tourists should visit.

How to Get There

By Flight

Taking a flight from Singapore Changi Airport to Belgrade Airport takes approximately 15 hours or less for one transit stop flights. Usually, flights will depart from Changi airport and transit at Istanbul airport before departing for Belgrade. Depending on the carrier that tourists choose, transit stops may also be in other airports such as in Hamad Airport in Doha, Zurich Airport in Switzerland, Frankfurt Airport in Germany and many more. Return tickets flight would range from SGD 1,291 to SGD 3,000 per person. Once at Belgrade airport, tourists may opt for a taxi to transport them to their respective hotels.

What to Do There?

Kalemegdan Park

This national park is the largest park that is home to the most important historical monument in Belgrade. Located almost 125 meters high on top of a cliff at the junction of the River Sava and Danube, its name is originated from two Turkish words “Kale” and “megdan”. To reach there, you can hail a cab from the city centre of Belgrade.

Church of Saint Sava

Functioning also as a place of worship, this Serbian Orthodox church that is located on the Vracar plateau in Belgrade also serves as a beautiful tourist attraction. It is also one of the largest Orthodox churches in the world and ranks among the largest church buildings in the world. Possessing the architectural design from the Byzantine era, the church offers tourists stunning views as well as a hint of the historical background behind the development of the church that dated back in early 1935.

Belgrade Fortress

Belgrade Fortress situated in the Kalemegdan Park consists of old citadels (upper and lower town), located in Belgrade’s municipality of Stari Grad. It is built on a white ridge of a cliff situated in between the river Sava and the Danube and offers tourists a stunning view of the plateau down below. It is best visited during sunsets in the autumn season. The place can easily be reached from the city centre of Belgrade just by hailing a taxi.

Knez Mihailova Street

Properly known as Kneza Mihaila, is the main pedestrian and shopping zone in Belgrade and is protected by law as one of the oldest and most valuable landmarks in the city. It is named after Mihailo Obrenovic the 3rd, Prince of Serbia and the street features some buildings and mansions that dated back in the late 1870s. The street is almost 800 meters long and is situated in Stari Grad, Belgrade. Being strategically situated, tourists can reach this place easily.

Where to Stay?

Guesthouse Fair

Located approximately 10km away from Belgrade Airport, this hostel offers a good deal to backpacking tourists who are going for that budget trip. Costing you only $33.82 per night, it is the perfect place for you to stay if you do not mind sharing the space with other tourists. However, comfort is also served to you as the place offers a laundry service, 24 hours security, money changer, dining services and the rooms are also equipped with air-conditioning and internet connections. The hostel also offers tourists airport transfer from and to the airport as well as a designated parking space that is secured. The elevator is also provided and not to mention, a TV lounge room, conference room as well as a business centre to fit the different needs and purposes of your travels.

Compass River City Hotel

If you are not going for that shared space kind of hotel and prefer having your privacy to yourself while also maintaining your budget in place, this is the hotel for you. It is located strategically close to the city of Belgrade near the riverside and only 9km away from Belgrade Airport. The hotel offers tourists a shuttle service to and from the airport via a surcharge. The hotel offers facilities such as an outdoor pool for you and your loved ones to relax, a bar and a dining area as well as a terrace for that relaxing trip. The receptionist is also available at all times, and internet connectivity is of no problem. There are up to 11 different types of rooms that you can book to fit the number of people staying as well as to fit your comfortability.